By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Korean singer Lee Mi-ja has gone through many ups and downs in her career, spanning half-a-century, but it was music that kept her strong. The 67-year-old singer celebrates her 50th anniversary as a singer this year, and now she has plans for a new album and concert tour.
``Korean songs are losing their place and I want to continue the `pulse' of our traditional melodies. I have put my love and gratitude into this album, and to be frank, I am very nervous and worried,'' Lee said at a press conference announcing her plans.
Lee started singing when she was 17 years old, earning the nickname ``Queen of Elegy'' after her namesake song, and has been singing for fans near and far ever since. As soaring as her popularity was the deepness of her travails. During authoritarian Korean governments, some of her favorite songs, including "Miss Camellia,'' were banned from public airwaves for 20 years.
The singer, whose fans include former Presidents Park Chung-hee and Chun Doo-hwan, reminded listeners that it was indeed difficult to continue her life-long journey to preserve traditional songs and melodies.
``Western-style songs became popular during the late 1960s, and I was then known as the old-fashioned singer with old-fashioned songs. Being quite young, I was tempted to change my style to a more modern one, but I just couldn't do it,'' she said, recalling the old days.
Lee's new album ``Lee Mi-ja's 50 Years, 101 Songs I've Sang With the World'' includes 101 songs on four compact discs, including 70 of some of her best-known songs, 30 songs that Lee believes represent Koreans' hardships and joy, and one new number called ``The Purpose of My Life.''
Starting April 2 in Seoul, Lee will begin her 16-city tour, with stops in Daegu, Ilsan, Daejeon, Suwon and Seongnam.
``Personally, I feel that fans who live further away in remote areas seem to enjoy my music more, so I tried to include smaller cities this time,'' said Lee.
No matter what reporters asked at the press conference, the answers all ended up being about singing.
``I don't have any regrets. I have been singing my whole life, I didn't have the time to think about anything else,'' she said, smiling.
When asked what she thought about the current Korean pop scene, however, Lee took her time and firmly said that it was indeed different from the past.
``The young singers are doing well. But all I want to say is that during my time, songs were more emotional. But now, it's more about enjoying the beat. Popular songs used to convey joy and sorrow, but now it's all about having fun,'' Lee said.
``It is also very hard to become a singer, unlike in the past. If you sang well, you could become a singer. It was as simple as that. But now, you have to consider financial problems, the media, and other factors, and that has made it more difficult to become a singer,'' she added.
Having recorded more than 2,100 songs and won the Hwa-gwan Order of Culture Merit from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 1995, Lee concluded by advising younger singers to bring back old, yet memorable songs.
``So many wonderful and important songs are disappearing. Songs are not just rhythms and lyrics. I hope they appreciate the meanings, the emotions and the flow. This album is a page of Korean pop history and I hope everyone enjoys it,'' Lee concluded with a smile.